Curated OER
Properties of Waves
Third graders observe and investigate wave properties and compare the properties of particles and waves. They fill a pie pan half full with water, place a toothpick in the center of the pie pan, then drop a marble into the pan and...
Curated OER
Wave Equations
Pupils manipulate a model of a wave in order to solve the wave equation in 1 dimension. By using a model of a wave on a string the student is able to change the tension, length, and mass of the string as well as fix either end of the...
Curated OER
Make Waves
Sixth graders discover, through exploration, the basic characteristics of waves. After a lecture/demo, 6th graders work in groups and participate in a series of labs where they investigate waves. Each group presents its findings to the...
Curated OER
Tuned in: Tuning Forks and Sine waves
Students explore the characteristics of a pure sound wave produced by a tuning fork. They use sine waves to find a curve to fit the sound wave data produced by the tuning fork. A CBL and microphone is required for this activity.
Curated OER
Standing Waves
In this waves activity, students learn about standing waves and harmonics. Then students complete 11 matching, 15 fill in the blank, and 7 short answer questions.
Exploratorium
Resonant Rings
Physical or earth scientists construct this clever contraption to demonstrate how size effects frequency. Several paper rings of various sizes are taped onto a board and shaken to create vibrations. The resonant frequencies are easily...
Colorado State University
How Do Long and Short EM Waves Interact with the Earth's Atmosphere?
Things are about to heat up in your classroom! A kinesthetic lesson asks learners to play the part of the gases in the earth's atmosphere and interact with the sun's radiation. The focus is to learn the impact of the increasing...
LABScI
Acoustics: The Sound Lab
If the delay between a sound and its echo is less than 1/10th of a second, the human ear can’t distinguish it. Through the use of a Slinky, rubber band guitar, and straws, scholars explore where sound comes from and how it travels. Whole...
PBS
Math with Jake: Frequencies and Pitch
Be an octave above the rest. A musician explains how to write music in different time signatures. An interesting resource continues to demonstrate ratios using the pitch of musical notes and hertz. Pupils use a pitch table and determine...
University of Waikato
Make and Use a Hydrophone
Using a home-built hydrophone, pupils investigate how things sound in water. Learners listen to sounds created in air and then compare that to the same sound picked up by the hydrophone. Individuals compare the loudness and the pitch of...
Curated OER
Sounds Like Great Science!
A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...
Curated OER
Vibration and Pitch
Fifth graders investigate the relation between vibrations and pitch. They observe and discuss an experiment involving a bicycle and a piece of cardboard in the spokes, listen to a comb with cardboard, and listen to various sounds and...
Curated OER
Sound
Fifth graders explore and examine the basic properties of sound. In pairs, they speak through a balloon and listen to the sound vibrations, and listen to a ticking clock or watch through a variety of materials and identify the...
Curated OER
Sound: What is Sound and how does it travel?
Students learn that vibration makes different types of sounds. For this sound lesson, students perform experiments to understand vibrations and high and low pitch sounds. Students learn that sound travels differently through different...
Curated OER
Strange Sounds
Students investigate sound as a form of energy. In this energy, forces, and sound lesson plan, students explore how different sounds may be made as they make a variety of materials vibrate. Students observe the effects of vibrations and...
Curated OER
What is Sound?
In this sound worksheet, students complete 4 investigations to explore sound. These include the use of a rubber band, a blown up balloon, a piece of notebook paper and a tuning fork with a foam ball, string and pushpin. Students answer...
Curated OER
Sound
In this sound worksheet, students read about sound waves, how they are graphed, what frequency is and how it's related to pitch and the speed of sound. Students solve 8 sections of problems including matching terms related to sound to...
Curated OER
Sound
Students identify sources and importance of sound, discuss sounds heard on way to school, explain why sound waves can be "seen", and participate in various classroom activities and experiments that illustrate how sound travels.
Curated OER
Building Polymer Cup Speakers
Students investigate sound waves and they build audio speakers. In this audio speakers and sound lesson, students explore how to make quality audio speakers. As a team they build their own speakers to have clarity in sound, quality in...
Curated OER
From Bats to Babies: Ultrasound
Students research and analyze sound waves and how an ultrasound works to image a baby in utero. They explore various websites, complete worksheets, and write a paragraph describing a demonstration they view in the classroom.
Curated OER
Dynamic Earth
Young scholars show how earthquakes affect sea waves. In this tidal waves lesson students use a rubber mallet on a table to create waves in a box on top of the table. They experiment with striking the mallet in different locations on the...
Curated OER
Telecommunication
Each of these slides has notes for a teacher to support the activities that are planned for the students. The slides give details and facts about sound waves. Although this slide show delivers useful information about the sound waves,...
Curated OER
Properties and Behavior of Waves
Students explore the different properties of waves. In this physics lesson, students differentiate mechanical and electromagnetic waves. They explore each lab station and write their observation about the wave behavior they see.